EXCLUSIVE: Tindell of Hacken and Carlsson from Hammarby Share Their Thoughts on the Europa Cup Final First Leg

In the middle of the first half, Hacken’s young striker Felicia Schroder found the back of the net, scoring the decisive goal of the match with a brilliant assist from Monica Jusu Bah, who skillfully evaded Hammarby captain Alice Carlsson to set up her teammate.

There are two phrases that come to mind – “it’s only half-time” and “one hand on the trophy”. Which one resonates with you?

“I definitely lean more towards the ‘it’s only half-time’ mentality! I make a conscious effort not to get too ahead of myself. Having played for a long time, I’ve learned that football can take unexpected turns, and I’ve witnessed both the highs and lows. Today has shown us just how strong Hammarby are and how equally determined they are to clinch the trophy. So, it’s definitely not time to claim we’ve got one hand on it just yet. I’m focusing on the next 90 minutes before we can think about celebrating!”

Did today illustrate that entering a significant final against a familiar opponent is advantageous compared to facing a more unpredictable challenger?

“It certainly puts you in a different mental state. Throughout the tournament, facing teams like Inter, Breidablik, and Frankfurt felt like a refreshing cleanse for the mind, as you step outside of league play and experience various styles of football and players. The mental preparation shifts quite a bit, I would say. It’s quite unbelievable that both Hammarby and we find ourselves in the finals and that we’re slated to face each other five times this year! I haven’t quite wrapped my head around it, so my focus remains on taking it one game at a time!”

“In those first 30 minutes, it seemed you capitalised on their defensive formation. Was that an intentional strategy, or did it just unfold that way?”

“Our plan was always to start strong away, especially with them playing at home before a large fanbase. I can’t praise Hammarby’s supporters enough; their enthusiasm is incredible. We aimed to play assertively, regardless of how the match unfolded. Whether it was us winning key defensive battles or seizing opportunities to push forward, we had to handle whatever they threw at us.”

Hammarby’s aggressive play in the second half forced your side to retreat a bit. Was the priority more about protecting your lead and heading back to Gothenburg, rather than chasing a second goal?

“It’s definitely a tricky balance to strike, as sitting back can expose you to different types of attacks and creates a lot of pressure. You want to remain engaged in the game, always posing a threat. In the second half, they pushed hard for that equaliser, which was vital for them on their home turf in this first leg. So it was a blend of trying to secure the win while also struggling to break through their defence as much as we’d wanted. Sometimes, matches unfold that way, and while I’m not quite sure of the answers yet, I believe post-match analysis will provide clarity.”

You say it’s only half-time, but you must feel confident heading into the home leg?

“I genuinely appreciate that we kicked off with the away match first and still have the chance to play at home. That gives us an edge. I have confidence in our squad; we’ve gelled well, playing strong football and securing victories, which is fantastic. However, I would never presume it’s a done deal — absolutely not!”

Following a disappointing first-leg defeat, Alice Carlsson had little to say to the media, but the 30-year-old believes that the key to a successful turnaround in the second leg on Friday, 1st May, lies in being more decisive when chances arise.

Your defence appeared to be under pressure early on — do you think that’s where the match was decided?

“We’re aware that Hacken’s forwards possess significant pace, so it’s crucial we contain them, but they are indeed talented players.”

What did you communicate to your team as captain at half-time or during the match? There was a noticeable improvement at the back, and some dangerous moments emerged later on.

“I just reminded everyone that we need to keep pressing forward and maintain possession to create opportunities.”

We’re only at the halfway mark of the final. How confident are you in your ability to turn the results around?

“We can carry forward a lot of positives into Friday’s match because, although we didn’t create many chances, we did create some! We need to be a bit sharper in front of goal next time.”